How to Pick the Right Chandelier Size for Your Room

Why Chandelier Size Matters in Interior Design

Whether you’re looking for a showpiece or looking to elevate a specific mood, sizing your chandelier is all about optimizing aesthetic balance and lighting in your space.

While a large chandelier might be appropriate for a foyer, it will be overpowering in a bedroom or hallway, as well as a hazardous obstacle if it hangs too low. Conversely, a chandelier that’s too small may fail to provide sufficient light.

Furthermore, every light fixture affects a room’s light scale—how bright or dim and how warm or cool a room and its colours are perceived as being—which will determine the overall tone of the room, making it all the more important to get right.

This guide will walk you through simple formulas and recommendations to help you find a chandelier that’s perfectly scaled for your space.

The Chandelier Size Formula: How to Calculate the Right Fixture Dimensions

There are several key factors to consider when using our chandelier size calculator, such as the room’s width, length, and height in relation to the chandelier.

Sample Room Calculation

As a general rule, a chandelier’s diameter can be approximated by adding the length and the width of a room in feet and converting it to inches. For example, a 10’ x 12’ room (22’) should have a chandelier with a diameter of 22”.

To determine the correct height of the chandelier, aim to have 3” for every foot between the ceiling and floor. Thus, if the room is 10’ tall, your chandelier should be 30”.

There are, however, a few caveats to the above calculations. Specifically, if the height is under 9 feet, the chandelier will need to be narrower. And for a very high ceiling, the chandelier will likely need to be slightly wider or take up more vertical space to illuminate the room fully. Hanging height is also a factor, which is discussed further below.

Each room in the house may also warrant additional considerations.

Chandelier Size Guide by Room Type

What Size Chandelier for Bedroom

Before determining the size of a chandelier for a bedroom, make sure you have 7 feet of space between the floor and the bottom of the chandelier to keep people from bumping their heads—8 feet is preferred.

In general, bedroom chandeliers should be centred directly over the bed if the bed is the focal point of the room, while the diameter of the chandelier should be exactly half the width of the bed.

So, for a king-size bed (76”), you would want a chandelier with a diameter of 38”.

What Size Chandelier for Living Room

When determining the size of a chandelier for a living room, you can go much larger—and often it will need to be to properly illuminate the space.

While the above chandelier size calculator works for most living rooms, an exception is for more open floor plans, where the living room merges with another room. In this case, it may be worthwhile to install multiple light fixtures or to increase the diameter to properly light the area.

When it comes to mounting, if you have a ceiling above 8’, make sure the chandelier is raised an additional 3” for every foot after 8’.

Please note that for sloped ceilings, the height calculation for mounting the chandelier should consider the lowest point of the sloped ceiling. It’s also important to make sure the chandelier is hung using an adjustable or angled canopy to allow it to hang straight down regardless of the ceiling angle.

What Size Chandelier for Dining Room

Given that the chandelier should be mounted above the table, where people won’t be walking, the dining room chandelier height will vary compared to other rooms. Specifically, it can be much lower, about 30” to 36” above the table.

For the size of a chandelier for a dining table, aim to have the chandelier have a diameter of roughly one-half to two-thirds the width of the table.

How High Should You Hang a Chandelier?

In all areas of the home where people will be walking, make sure there is at least 7’ of clearance to prevent people from bumping their heads.

For the dining room chandelier height, the chandelier can hang a bit lower, roughly 30”–36” above the table.

For living room chandelier height, if you have a ceiling above 8 feet, make sure the chandelier is raised an additional 3” for every foot after 8’. And for sloped ceilings, the height calculation for mounting the chandelier should consider the lowest point of the sloped ceiling rather than the highest point.

Common Sizing Mistakes to Avoid

Here is a quick list of things you should avoid to make sure your chandelier works for your space:

• Oversized fixtures in small rooms.
• Undersized fixtures in large rooms.
• Not using the chandelier size guide.
• Hanging the chandelier too low in walking zones.
• Ignoring open layouts or sloped ceilings.
• Not adjusting the mounting for ceilings above 8 feet.
• Not updating measurements for vaulted or sloped ceilings.
• Positioning the chandelier with no regard for furniture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should your chandelier be wider than your table?

No. Your chandelier should be one-half to two-thirds the width of the table.

Can a chandelier be too big for a room?

Yes. A chandelier is too big for a room when it obstructs movement because it doesn’t provide 7’ of clearance, or when it produces too much light for the space.

What size chandelier for a 20x20 room?

The chandelier should have a diameter of 40”. Its height will be determined by the height of the room, but it will generally be 3” for every one foot of wall height.